Sunday, April 26, 2009

For many new 1st Graders, getting the randoseru, (backpack) is just part of the whole experience of this new and wonderful stage of growing up. Many also get a desk. A nice desk. An expensive desk.

Starting in February or so, furniture stores start the big push for.....the desk.

Depending on how much one is willing to spend, these can run up into the big yen. A friend of mine and her husband spent about $1,000 on the desk for their oldest daughter. Granted, some of these desks will be used for all 12 years of school and then possibly even taken to university. If you look at it that way, then, okay....I don't want to throw up thinking about the money.

We here at Kamp Kuroiwa don't think like that. We did some comparative shopping and then found a desk that was functional, fit into the space we had and was something that Koji thought was "cool"...and didn't cost us the proverbial "arm and leg"!

And today....after 2 very long weeks of waiting and asking pretty much every single day since we bought it if it was coming that day......it arrived.

It took the two very efficient delivery/put together guys about 30 minutes to get us up and running.

The youngest Kuroiwa is quite happy with his desk....

**FYI...there is a bookshelf under the desk, against the wall and a small file cabinet just behind Koji. Lot's of storage space for important stuff....you know...like Lego's and comics and pictures that he draws!

Now, Koji's desk is very clean and neat....but soon, it will probably look like this:

....let's just hope he uses it for doing actual schoolwork and holds off on the stickerage for a few months. And yes, Issei was actually doing homework at his desk tonight...he doesn't do that very often as he usually opts for the kitchen table. Ergo...the picture...to use as proof that he does actually study...sometimes!

************************

And Debbie drops back 5 yards....and punts!

A friend of mine called a couple of weeks ago and asked if I would make a birthday cake for her son. She was wanting a soccer themed cake and, thinking it would be no problem to find soccer stuff, I told her "Sure, no problem."

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

When, of when, will I ever learn? Obviously, not anytime soon.

I had an idea in my head as to what I wanted to do. Picture this: rectangle shaped cake with green frosting on the top....white frosting piped to resemble a soccer field...with small plastic soccer player figures and a couple of nets on either end.

Sounds good, right? I thought so.

~~sigh~~

Yesterday, I went to about 6 different toy stores (yes, even that BIG one that seems to flippin' carry anything a child might possibly ever want).....did any of those places have small, plastic osccer player figures? Crappity-crap-crap! NO, they did not.

So....last night...with my creative energy waning...I came up with a plan and figured that if questioned about it, I would justify my simple cake with "what it lacks in woohoo-ness, it makes up for in taste, many times over".

I hope I was right. It was a dreamy-chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting and seriously...it would be very hard to complain about that delicious combo....or at least, that's what I'm hoping!!

*********************

For a good part of the afternoon, this is what the floor of my living room looked like:

For one who has confessed to not really knowing how to sew, it seems that I have spent a lot of time at the wheel of my sewing machine. There are people from my high school who may or may not remember that I worked on a dress for about one whole year my sophomore year...the struggle I went through. (I wonder if an apology to Mrs. Christie after all these years would be appropriate?) Sewing just never appealed to me and my whole theory was "why spend all that time and energy making something that I probably won't wear/use anyway....it's just better to go to the store and buy it."

Fast forward 30-some (**gag**) years and here I am....with a sewing machine that I use more often than I have ever thought I would.

When it comes to hobbies, I'm a "hobby hopper".....I keep trying out different things until I find one (or three) that I like. Knitting, quilting, embroidery, cross stitch, crotchet and such-like activities, take too much patience and time....of which I have very little of either. I bow down in the direction of any person who can do these.

In he blogosphere, I visit quite a few blogs that focus on art and crafty-type things. I am now dabbling in making greeting cards and doing some sewing. (My candle-making energy is still alive...just ran out of wax!) I have also been intrigued lately by glass bead making....THAT just seems so cool!

A few weeks ago, I was over at 3rdEyeMuse seeing what fun and creative things she was doing (she always has a few projects going) and I found something that I thought,

"How incredibly cool!"and"I think can do that!"

She had requested a pattern for Goddess dolls from another incredibly talented artist, Ronda Kivett, and started making these really fun ladies. When I saw what she had made, I was hooked. And...since I do have that extra time in the mornings.......I got a pattern and got busy.

I love these so much.

The ones on the far left were my first attempts. I was having a hard time getting the "hips" even and then decided that, you know what? Those were the Dancing Goddesses. Michelle, (over at 3rdEyeMuse) kindly offered me some advice and the little problems I was experiencing seem to be worked out...at least, for the most part. (Thanks so much, Michelle!)I have added some accessories to a couple and have made one or two into Rattle Goddesses to give as presents to friends who have just had little Goddesses of their own.Personally, I'm liking the Hula Goddess the best....she's my favorite.

Like yarn for knitters (or so my Mom told me yesterday), not just any material is for everyone. A doll has to fit the receiver....or how I perceive that person.As in the case of my friend, Karen....the Goddess I gave her IS her. Both are English Rose Garden types....and they are the perfect pair.I have a list now of people to give Goddesses to....and when the perfect material comes into my possession, a Goddess will be made for each.

Have a great Sunday....I hope you find something to do that makes you incredibly happy!!

11
comments:

I have an eMail buddy in Australia who's name is Aki. Not the same person though. Aki is a she and MUCH older. Very interesting to chat with as she used to work with the United Nations and has really seen the world.

I am doing cartwheels and back flips over your goddess dolls! I am sooooooo impressed by what you've done! LOVE the idea of a goddess rattle ... and the Hula goddess is a total winner and I ADORE the black and white fabric you chose for the one ... WOW!

1. LOVE the desk! The first desk I remember getting dad made out of a countertop he bought at Home Depot and four metal legs. I toted that thing around until I graduated college!2. There is this blog where people post pictures of awesome cakes and cakes that are awful. Cake Wrecks3. You should also check out Fail Blog

Oh, I wish I had known you needed soccer players, we have a whole team along with nets that have been used for a bunch of cakes. They came off a store-bought cake a few years back. Love the desk shots, my eldest is the same, it is always covered in stuff and he does his homework in the kitchen. Love the dolls, I have never seen them beofre.

so interesting, the part about the desk. All relative though, depending on where you live....like how important DRIVE THRU MARGARITA SHOPS are in Louisiana, right?As for the cake, it looks awesome! I take on challenges like that and learned LONG AGO that when all else fails, putting a toy of any kind on it wins! HAH!

About Me

I am an American living in Nagasaki City, Japan. My days are spent teaching mainly oldER learners of English...the rest of the time, I 'm just trying to stay ahead of the game here as an expat. I have many hobbies and projects and two sons that keep me busy...everyday!!